Random information on plants for pre-schoolers - Trees

Do you have a tree in your garden?  Have you ever climbed in a tree?  You know that a tree has a big thick trunk and some branches and leaves and that many birds build their nests inside of trees.

Trees can also grow fruit, like apples and oranges.  Can you name some other fruit that grows on trees?

Lets see what we know about trees.

Trees are very tall plants that are made of wood - this wood can be used to make a fire or some are used for making furniture.  Different types of trees give different types of wood.  Have a look here at the different types of wood.

If plants do not grow as high as trees, but they look like mini trees, they are called shrubs.  Some trees can live for hundreds of years.

It is very important that we protect our trees and plant new trees.  Trees gives us oxygen that we inhale and it also protects the ground against erosion.  Erosion is when soil is washed away by the water or blown away by the wind - if there are plants, it holds the soil together and it will not wash or blow away.  If you do not protect the soil, nothing will be left for us to plant our plants in.  

The tree has very big roots that grows deep into the ground.  It holds the tree upright and it also takes up water and nutrients from the soil.

The water will travel up the trunk and to all the branches and leaves.  The trunk of the tree is protected by the bark.

If a tree is cut, you can see now it has grown through the years by counting the rings on the inside of the trunk - this will also determine the age of the tree.

Some trees looses their leaves during autumn and some trees which are called 'evergreens' keep their leaves all year round.

• Find some pictures on different trees and try and learn one fact on each.
• Watch the story on the video and re-tell the story when you are done and also say what lesson you learned from it.